|
CNN SATURDAY
Interview With Yosri Fouda
Aired November 16, 2002 - 18:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Al Jazeera television is reporting new terrorist threats directed at New York and Washington, from al Qaeda. A six-page document, delivered to a correspondent with Al Jazeera, says the attacks will occur unless America stops supporting Israel.
Yosri Fouda received the document. He is the chief investigative correspondent for Al Jazeera and he joins us by phone.
When did you receive this document? And how did you receive it?
YOSRI FOUDA, CORRESPONDENT, AL JAZEERA: I received the document on Wednesday, one day after we heard from bin Laden, through this audio taped message. I got it through, previously tested channels. That's why I'm pretty sure that it came from the right people. From the media are of al Qaeda.
COOPER: Can you say how it was given to you?
FOUDA: I cannot really disclose the channels. This is one thing that I have promised. When I was meeting Sheik Ramsi Binalshibh, not to talk about channels of communications. And I do think that it is, anyway, relevant to our viewers as long as we can be in touch -- to try and look into the mentality of al Qaeda and to try to study their actions.
COOPER: In your studying of this document, it is some six pages long, what jumps out at you. What are some of the messages.
FOUDA: Well, basically, they are -- I think they were prompted to write this document by some American writers, a the document cites, have been wondering on what basis al Qaeda are fighting. They are posing two questions: why, and in their words, and I quote, "why are we in Jihad and why we are resisting you?" And the second question is, "To what we are inviting you, and what we want from you?"
The first thing that strikes me, is the fact that what we have all come to realize as bin Laden utmost priority, which is the evacuation of American troops from Holy Land, in Saudi and the Gulf. And now actually down to point E, on the list of priorities.
They start the list with the Palestinian issue. They talk about Shishniade (ph). They talk about Kashmir, Palestine. They talk about Iraq. The Iraqi people rather than the Iraqi government. They talk about what they call corrupt leaders of the Arab countries. And they are calling on America not to support them. They talk about a lot of things and then in they end the document with and exhortation to the American people to join Islam and to abandon the policies of the American administration.
COOPER: So, they're recommending that all Americans convert to Islam?
FOUDA: That's right.
COOPER: I see. Do they also talk about killing American civilians?
FOUDA: They do mention civilians -- and they do reiterate this, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), actually making this point that certainly, when I met with Mr. Binalshibh, I did ask him myself about the religious justification for the killing of civilians and New York. And he said that, you know, the take acts, they support -- of course they know (ph) in advance, when they go to vote for some candidate, their pre- announced policies. They have representatives and they -- in the Congress -- who watch over how their money is being spent, and the rest of it. And on that basis, according to them, civilians are susceptible to attack.
COOPER: For a lot of viewers, perhaps, who are unfamiliar with you and your reporting, you know, we should point out that you are known for having good contacts, highly placed contacts in this region, even in al Qaeda. Just so I reiterate, you are quite confident that this is a communique from high level people within al Qaeda?
FOUDA: I'm absolutely sure that it came from al Qaeda. From whom, exactly, inside of al Qaeda I'm not absolutely sure. I can smell that it is coming from the media arm. When I was in Karachi interviewing Ramsi Binalshibh, who is now in American custody, and Hala (ph) Sheik Mohammed, who is still at large, two very high-ranking members of al Qaeda. I noticed that they were very much media aware. They know how media works. They know how to track a journalist down, wherever they like. They tracked me down in London, when they wanted to pass a message. And yes, I'm pretty sure that it is from them.
COOPER: And as you have -- I mean, you have received other communiques in the past. You have read their writings. The language used in this document compare it to other language that they have used in the past. Is it similar? Is it on the same level of intelligence? Is it less intelligence, the grammar, things like that?
FOUDA: It is -- that's a very intelligent question. It is very much their style. They start it with, you know, some quotes from the Koran, they end it with quotes from the Koran. They quite frequently refer to also previous incidence. In the early age of Islam they compare it to our times.
They -- but the thing about this particular document is that it is very elegantly written and very organized. It puts the case that al Qaeda has always been trying to do, fragmentally, here and there. It puts everything in one document. And their attempt to justify doing what they have been doing. COOPER: And, very briefly, no specific mention of any specific attack coming up?
FOUDA: No, as a rule I have never come across any specific information. It's not their style. They never speak of any imminent attacks. They never speak of any specific plans to attack certain targets. But one very sarcastic comment that caught my attention was, test (ph) Sharon and Bush opinion as a man of peace, we too, are men of peace, according to them.
COOPER: Obviously, a lot of people would differ with that statement. Yosri Fouda, thank you so much for joining us, chief investigative correspondent for Al Jazeera. We appreciate it.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux has more on this developing story -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, I talked to Yosri earlier today. And he actually sent us a copy of that six-page document. It is in Arabic, but we have a translation of some highlights of this document.
The first being, it says, "Stop your support for Israel against the Palestinians, for Russians against the Chechens and leave us along or expect us in Washington and New York."
There is another highlight, as well, that stands out. It says, "You are placing Muslims under siege in Iraq, where children die everyday. Oh, how weird that you don't care for 1.5 million children Iraqi children who died under siege, but when 3,000 of your compatriots died, the whole world was shaken."
Also, Yosri said something in our conversation that stuck out. He said, do not force us to ship you in coffins, that also coming from this document. This comes on a day, Anderson, when there have been some criticisms about the war on terror, whether or not the Bush administration is really progressing in that area. Also on a day with the Bush administration is answering those questions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): With U.N. weapons inspectors poised to force Iraq to disclose its weapons program, President Bush insists that this is Saddam Hussein's last chance to disarm. Mr. Bush, in his weekly radio address.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America and the world are now watching Saddam Hussein closely. Any act of defiance or delay will indicate that he is taking the path of deception once again. And this time the consequences would be severe.
MALVEAUX: With Congress and the U.N. Security Council behind him, Mr. Bush has put Saddam on notice. But critics charge the president's focus on the Iraqi leader has come at the expense of the administration's success in its overall war on terror. They point to a recently aired audiotape apparently of the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks, Osama bin Laden. Its existence suggesting that he is alive and poised to attack again.
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MINORITY LEADER: The president laid down that criteria a year ago, when he said we will be judged by whether or not we find bin Laden dead or alive. Well, by that criteria we haven't made a lot of progress.
MALVEAUX: That suggestion has clearly put the White House on the defensive.
BUSH: Our war against terrorists and their supporters is advancing on all fronts. We're moving aggressively to protect our people and to impose a great threat to the peace of the world.
MALVEAUX: This weekend, the White House released a fact sheet highlighting the administration's accomplishments, beyond the fallen Taliban and the liberation of Afghanistan people. More than $113 million of terrorist assets frozen worldwide; more than 90 countries named as U.S. allies in the war on terror; more than 60,000 American troops deployed to fight terror overseas; and about 650 detainees in U.S. custody, including a top al Qaeda leader seized in recent weeks.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Now, President Bush is going to make his case for the war on terror to at least a dozen world leaders this coming week when he attends the NATO Summit Eastern Europe -- Anderson.
COOPER: Suzanne, I know this -- really the story is just developing -- has the White House had any reaction to this apparent, or alleged new communique from al Qaeda.
MALVEAUX: No reaction yet. They really don't expect that they would, however, you remember, you recall when the audio tape of Osama bin Laden was first released, just this past week, a couple of days ago, the White House really taking its time and taking a look at that. Observing it, wanting to get the reports to see exactly what they're dealing with. You can bet that they're not actually going to say anything until they make sure they know that this is authentic. That it is really coming from al Qaeda, but as Yosri Fouda said, he is confident that it is, having the kind of sources inside that organization that he does.
COOPER: All right. Suzanne Malveaux, thanks very much. And thanks for standing out in the rain for us, appreciate that.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
|
